The Animal Health research Unit of CIRAD in Guadeloupe is a research center and diagnostic laboratory, with a regional expertise on vector-borne and emerging diseases in the Caribbean. It is the OIE reference laboratory for heartwater and OIE collaborating center on diagnostic, epidemiology and control of tropical animal diseases, as well as the headquarters of the Caribbean Animal Health Network, CaribVET. It is also a regional diagnostic laboratory for Avian Influenza, Newcastle Diseases, Tick-borne diseases and West Nile virus.

The project includes five workpackages dealing with project management ; reinforcement of scientific and technical potential; exchange and sharing of experience; dissemination of knowledge and promotional activities including a participatory process with decision makers; and turning research into innovation, prevention and anticipation.

Epigenesis project is coordinated by CIRAD Guadeloupe, animal health research team (UMR CMAEE), located on the Duclos site, in Guadeloupe. It has been developped with outstanding research partners from Europe, considered as leading centers in the area of microbiology, biotechnology, epidemiology and entomology. The project also involves research institutes from Guadeloupe and veterinary services, laboratories, research institutes from the Caribbean via the Caribbean Animal Health Network.